50 SPORT IN BENGAL. 



I hated more, and justly. One was an iron-grey country-bred 

 stallion, about fourteen-three, a tough, sound, and good-looking 

 animal, whose little game was first to rear up as straight and 

 upright as the Ochterlony monument on being mounted, and 

 afterwards during a morning or evening ride to slip backward 

 into the first deep ditch or cutting we met with bad enough 

 to suit his views. Oh, how I loathed that brute. Many a 

 time have I slipped off as he reared upright, and brought him 

 suddenly on his back by a smart touch of the bit, but to no 

 good purpose, for he was not open to conviction. The only 

 good service this gallant courser ever did me was to get me 

 the first spear off a hog-deer stag, after a hard and long run 

 through grass as high as his stifle ; but how we achieved it 

 was never clear, unless indeed we forgot each other during 

 the chase. He too was fancied for his good looks and strong 

 sound legs, by a stranger who took himself in, and I parted 

 from him willingly at a sacrifice. 



The third horse referred to above was a grey Australian 

 gelding of over sixteen hands, and without a single good 

 point. He might have done good service to a house-builder 

 for scaffolding, bub was of no use whatever as a pig-sticker, 

 although bought for me by a friend as a choice hunter, because, 

 forsooth, he had won a hurdle race and could jump a church ; 

 however that may be, he was worthless for the purpose for 

 which he was wanted, and while a wonderful high jumper, 

 his good points were all catalogued in that one accomplish- 

 ment ; for the rest he was a washy, long-legged, ugly beast, 

 without heart, speed, or constitution ; a horse that I should 

 myself have bought, after a personal introduction, as willingly 

 as I would a three-legged camelopard. I forget what was his 

 end, but think it was worthy of his life and character. He 

 was what is called now by dealers, "a grand up-standing 

 horse," and was addicted to getting his legs mixed up, and 

 then tumbling down upon his stupid head, whenever he got 

 upon broken ground and a close-cramped country. He ought 

 to have been stuffed and set up as a model of a horse on 

 no account to be bought for any purpose more useful than 



